Superconducting Properties of Atomic-Disordered Compound MgCNi₃

The effect of radiation-induced disordering in a nuclear reactor (fast neutrons fluence \Phi = 5\cdot10^{19} cm^2, T_{\text{irr}} = 340 K) on resistivity \rho, superconducting transition temperature T_C and upper critical field H_{C_2} of polycrystalline MgCNi_3 samples was investigated. It was found that T_C decreases under irradiation from 6.5 to 2.9 K and completely recovers after annealing at 600 ^\circC. Temperature dependences \rho(T) are characteristic of compounds with strong electron-phonon interaction. The dH_{C_2}/dT behaviour testifies to a considerable decrease in density of electronic state at Fermi level N(E_F) in the course of disordering.